The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-09-28
The Volunteer Beats the
Thistle 10 Min. 90 Sec.
THE SCOT is NOT SATISFIED
And Can't Understand Why his
Blooming Graft Moved SO Very
slow-Eext Race Thursday.
The Yacht Race.

morning with any but light breezes,
and the public disappointment was
fully as manifest as the public interest
has been in what was to be the first Of
the three races between the Scotch
Yacht Thistle and the American yacht
Volunteer for the possession OF the
An,crica's cup. The last finishing
touches had been put upon the yachts
and everything superauous removed
from both the racers, even to the
private dunnage of the crew. The con-
ditions we're extremely favorable to the
Scotch cutter. She has always done
her best work in light winds and there
appears small chance of there
being anything more than a light
wind to-day. There was considerable
betting on the race, but it was gov
erned by patriotism in most every case,
the odds ranging from 10 to 8, down to
to l in favor of the Volunteer.
When the Thistle and Volunteer
reached the vicinity of the starting line,
there were over two hundred yachts
and steamboats, about them. Thou
sands of people we're straining for a
glimpse at the racers, but even at Fort
WadsWorth, where a great many ladies
gathered, the yachts could be only
dimly seen through the heavy mist.
At noon there was a breeze of about
eight miles an hour, coming IN puts
from the south. The mist was clearing
slowly and the racers began vancouver,
ing for a start. The official signal
given for them to get ready was fired at
1922.
Ten minutes later, gthe Thistle crossed
the line, closely followed by the VotaGa
teer Both yachts were close hauled
on the port tack, each carrying main
lib and stay sails. The IhiStIeS lead
was small. but she seemed to move the
most rapidly i'll the ZEPHYR. The wind
blowing was quite variable, veering to
the west.
The official time of the Thistle cross
ing the line was 1926. and the Volunteer
u SO. The Thistle at once tackled to
the starboard, heading for Long Island
shore. The result was she lost her wind
entirely, while the Yankee held the
light air. At I2.44 the Thistle seemed
motionless. A few minutes later she
began to move slowly. The Volunteer
had meantime captured the lead, per
haps three cable lengths. The Yankee
heeIed along gracefully, making good
time, increasing the lead.
There was a magnificent feet Of sail
and steam barges behind the racers,
stretching in an almost unbrCken line
from shore to shore, making the finest
picture ever seen in the Bay of New
York As the Volunteer approached
Fort Wadsworth, q ..reat cheer went up
from the threats of thousands of specta-
tors. The feet took Up the refrain, and
gave her rousing send off. She was
going very fast The Thistle had good
full, but her sails somewhat failed to
draw like the Vojunteer'8 Following
the racers came great feet of excur
siOnists. The spectators were unan-
imOus in crediting the Yankees long
lead to superior seamanship in holding
to the first tack and catching the breeze
of the shores.
Half an hour after passing Fort
WadsWorth the Volunteer was almost
invisible in the haze and distance. She
had apparently increased her lead TO at
least two miles, but when another half
hour elapsed the Thistle was footing it
along in a way which promised close
finish. The Thistle seemed fated to
misfortunaie, and when the Volunteer
headed for andy Hook Lighthouse,
the Scotch yacht was again two miles in
the rear
Fort WADswoRTH, September 81
) p.m.-The race will probably be
finished by $50 . cock. if no accident
occurs. The wind holds strong and
any change occurring is in the direc-
ton of more wind.
$40 Q. m.-The yachts are coming
home with the wind blowing fifteen
miles an hour astern, both carrying all
their light sails, but the Volunteer is
seen to have maintained her long lead.
A great gathering of sail and steam
crafts has taken place in the vicinity OF
the finishing line
NEW YORK, September 81. - The
Volunteer won, crossing the line at 80
The TbiStIs finished at 5 A As.
The result was most decisive victory
for the American sloop; beating,
stretching and running with free sheets.
the Volunteer outsailed the Thistle, on
the run home. She lost ground largely
on account of the way accompanying
craft blanketed her. First point buoy
10 was reached on beat; buoy 81 was
fetched on a stretch, as was Sandy
Hook light ship. From the Eghtship
back to buoy 10, there was a beam
" AAh1 ol4u NUN lDSIc n0luS W DuOS To-
off Fort Wadsworth, it was a dead run
before the winds with spinakers
set. The total distance was thirty-eight
statute Emiles. Everywhere except
on the run with spinakers, ex-
cursion boats did much to keep the
wind from her. The ToLunteer outsailed
her antagonist. a further description
of the race would only be repetition
Of the above. Following are the figures:
BOAT. START. BUOY TO- LIGHrsH1P.
Fog4~tter. I2945S. 2.2IO3. 342l2
Thistle. 1896. 1865. 4,Ol,15
BOAT. FINISH ELAPSED CORRECT
TINE. TINE.
Volunteer. $3.50. 1878. 1878.
Thistle 1888. 5,12,47. 5,12,42
The Volunteer beats the Thistle 10
minutes and 90 seconds. After the
race. Mr.. James Bell, principal officer
of the Thistle, said he was not at
all surprised with the result The
Thistle, he declared, had never moved